Element: Fire
Imagery: A figure carries a heavy bundle of ten wands toward a town.
General Themes: Burden, responsibility, overload, hard-earned progress.
Ten of Wands Upright
The Ten of Wands upright invites you to release unnecessary burdens. Often, we take on responsibilities and labor that aren’t ours to carry. This is especially true for those of us who are in caretaker roles or empathetic professions. We get used to carrying more than we should and normalize the oppressive weight of it. That’s terrible!
This card asks you to really look at what you’re carrying and what you need to let go of. You don’t have to work as hard as you have in the past to bring something to fruition. You also aren’t responsible for other people’s baggage. Just because you have a lot of fire energy doesn’t mean you need to be giving it away.
Be strategic about where you spend your energy and allow yourself to refuel. It is not your responsibility to carry the weight of the world, or even ten wands, on your shoulders.
Ten of Wands Reversed
The reversal of this card reads much the same as its upright form, but with a lighter feeling. You still need to release unnecessary burdens here, but it’s not as hard for you to let them go. In fact, you feel downright energized!
The Ten of Wands reversed gives you permission to let go or ask for help. You don’t have to shoulder things on your own. Playing the martyr is never a good idea, so loosen your grip on things and get support if you need it.
See how light you feel? Move forward with that energy.
The Bruja’s Guide to Tarot is the divination sister to the scholarly The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, and Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.
If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday…and good conversations with the tarot, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s to a magical life!